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Yanks fortify 'pen with Betances, option Marshall

5/15/13: Brett Marshall gets Justin Smoak swinging for the first strikeout of his Major League career

By Bryan Hoch
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MLB.com |

NEW YORK -- The Yankees moved to bolster their bullpen's depth on Thursday, recalling right-hander Dellin Betances from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Betances, 25, had been touted as one of the club's brightest pitching prospects, ranked No. 19 by MLB.com, but the local product has experienced struggles with his control and recently moved to the bullpen full-time at Triple-A, where he was 3-2 with a 5.40 ERA in eight games (six starts).

Right-hander Brett Marshall, ranked No. 16, was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding roster move, one night after Marshall saved the bullpen by throwing 108 pitches in 5 2/3 innings of long relief as he made his Major League debut.

Manager Joe Girardi said that Betances could provide the Yankees with length if they get into another wild game.

"He's done OK [at Triple-A]," Girardi said. "Your hope there is that he can simplify things and get on a roll and be a power arm for you."

Betances said that he was told about his shift to the bullpen by Minor League pitching coordinator Gil Patterson after he pitched five hitless innings in a win at Gwinnett on May 5.

The timing seemed odd to Betances, but he has been willing to accept the challenge if it helps his chances of contributing in the big leagues and said he feels "real close" to being back where he needs to be mechanically.

"At first it was hard. I'd been a starter since I signed," Betances said. "It's one of those things, but you kind of understand that situation. They said there's gonna be more opportunities out of the bullpen, so just go out there and compete. I took it all right. When the phone rings, I just get ready to go in."

Bryan Hoch is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @bryanhoch and read his MLBlog, Bombers Beat. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.